| Pottery and Toys: Antique or New? |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-112 |
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Q: I've heard that there are potters making vases right now that look like antiques -- and that people buy them as new from the potter but then sell them as antiques over the Internet or at flea markets. Can you give me some tips to help protect myself against this scam?
A: (Bruce Johnson, Ask DIY Woodworking expert) As prices for antiques go up, more and more fakes are showing up in the market. And it's not that hard to get fooled by a new piece of pottery that looks older than it is. Here's what I do to avoid the newer toys and pottery: - Look for signs of natural wear, such as a line of white inside the neck of this vase (figure A), which is probably about 100 years old. These white rings take a long time to form, from water evaporating and leaving behind mineral deposits. That could mean years of people putting flowers in the pottery. Take a flashlight and look inside the vase for more mineral deposits. If the vase doesn't have them, keep looking for one that does.
- Check the top rim of the vase too, looking for nicks and small chips that would indicate the piece is old. Nicks and chips can indicate the difference between a piece of pottery that's around five years old (figure B, at left) and one that's 95 years older than that (figure B, at right). And make sure the chip isn't fresh by checking for dirt stains.
- The most important place to inspect is the bottom of the pottery (figure C ). Look for wear on the bottom. Also look for discoloration that you'd expect in an older piece. A new piece will be white on the bottom, while an older piece will probably be gray. If you consult a reliable reference book, you can also determine the date of a piece by the mark on its bottom. You may be lucky enough to find a clue to its age with a penciled-in price. If it says $1 for a valuable piece, chances are it was first sold many years ago.
- Many of the same rules for pottery apply to toys. Look for evidence of natural wear -- paint wearing off the ears and nose on a cast-iron animal, for example. You're also more apt to see better detail on an antique piece than you would on a reproduction. And be sure to pick the toy up. Older pieces were made of cast iron and are very heavy for their size. Newer models tend to be overly light.
More questions for Bruce:
Q: How critical is a small crack or chip to the value of a piece of pottery?
A: When it comes to pottery, damage is very important to its value. On an antique crock, for example, a little chip (figure D, at right) isn't that critical. It shouldn't decrease the value at all. But the crack running down the side (figure D, at left) wipes out the value. If you're thinking about buying a piece of pottery with a crack in it, walk away, because it could literally fall apart.
Q: We found several board games from the 1940s and '50s in my grandmother's attic. How do we know whether they have any value?
A: Get a good reference book (figure E) and see what price your items will bring. Make sure it's a current price guide.
Q: Do you have any ideas on how to display and care for my antique collection of games and puzzles?
A: If it's an antique board game (figure F), display it where kids and guests can't get to it. And make sure it's never exposed to direct sunlight, which can fade out the box. Web site resources for New Wood, Old Look: Old World Method of Pickling Wood from Craft Assoc.Com Matching Trim Work from Home Time.com Distressing Wood Tip from E-mazing.com An Aged Look That Doesn't Take 50 Years from Taunton.com How to Make New Wood Look Weathered from e-How.com Distressed Wood from Am-Wood.com Simple Process Can Make Almost-New Furniture Look"Distressed" from DetNews.com Book: Wood as a Building Material: a Guide for Designers and Builders
By Wayne, Wilcox, Elmer Botsai, & Hans Kobler (1991)
ISBN: 047152722X
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.(br> 605 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10158-0012
Phone: 212-850-6000
Fax: 212-850-6088
E-mail: info@wiley.com
Web site: www.wiley.com
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